Caring Quilt for Lori and Mela in Utero!

   My little art quilt group, ArtCGirlz, made this quilt for one of our own. From top left, Mary Ellen, Susan, mine. Second row from left: Elaine, Betzh, Martha. Third row: Mary Lee, Susan, Emmy. Fourth row: Chris, Sharon, Martha. I sewed them together with the black sashing, Martha basted it and Elaine quilted it. A real collaboration. We thought it was very interesting that the quilt ended up having 2 stars, the 2 butterflies, 2 linear blocks, 2 hearts and of course, Susan's 2 T blocks. Lori loves it and it is comforting her when she needs it.

Meet Mela Ann Zaporowski! It's her first picture. I am amazed by this! Her eyes are open, her sweet little lips are formed, and a button of a nose. She looks serene. Melissa is providing Mela's first "apartment", and apparently she loves it. I cannot wait to meet her, hold her, in less than 4 months! July 28th due date. You can already see she is beautiful and ready for us!

Yesterday I went to see my Ice Crystals quilt hanging in the show at Lower Mill Gallery in Honeoye. When Elaine, Martha, Mary Lee and I arrived around 11:00 AM, there was a shower going on in the room. We couldn't see most of the exhibit and worse yet, hot, steaming serving containers were placed on a table directly in front of two quilts. Disappointing and surprising that an art gallery would carry out such a plan.
We soothed and abated our woe's by indulging in Tom Wahls and Chestnut Bay Quilt Shop. Burger, fries, homemade root beer and fabric!

I made a few quilting stitches in Bullseye. Oh no. Unsightly bearding from the batting. Having spent over two hours basting this, I don't relish the thought of doing it again. I will try quilting with silk thread, using Thread Heaven. Maybe the thread will glide through all layers, leaving batting inside.

I have learned:

1. In my 34th year of employment, I have become the first female Executive Board Member on my union local. Of course I was the first female Stockkeeper in this local as well. Much to learn. Look forward to it.
2. Mela is 22 weeks this week. I loved being pregnant. I love seeing my daughter pregnant.
3. Caponata. Yummy Italian made with eggplant, tomatoes and onion. 

Bullseye

Bullseye. Kind of wonky..love it. I hand stitched the wool pennies last year. The cream wool was an old coat from Sally Ann's, the black wool from a skirt and the red was 100% wool I bought and felled. Using a circle sheet I bought at a quilt shop, meant for applique, I traced out the cirlcle's on freezer paper. I ironed the freezer paper to the wool to cut out the shapes. It's an easy way to cut the circles. Since I love hand stitching, all the time spent sewing the stacks was a joy.
I actually took pictures of the stacks wonky, then aligned nicely. There is something in me that finds comfort in messy! I wasn't comfortable with the neat stack...it wasn't me. I had to do the wonky bullseye.
After each stack was sewn, I machine stitched each one to a black Kona cotton square, then sewed the squares together. The addition of the cream and black mitered border was the finishing touch on the graphic quality I was looking for.
I spent a couple hours today, basting this upright on my design wall. A friend, Mary Low, had let me borrow a few of Gabrille Swain's DVD's. One of them showed how she does this. Kneeling on the floor is not good, so I knew I had to try this. I love it. I will only baste this way from now on.
This is going to be the firs quilt I hand quilt. When I look at the hand work involved in the stacks of wool, I cannot see machine quilting as an option. Hoping my lessons from Cheryl Doodie and her stab technique are familiar enough to look good.

Last year I thought I was done with knitting. I hadn't knit in a long time. I even gave away my yarn stash to Melissa's fiance Dave's mother. A few months ago I wanted to be productive, but didn't want to think of what to do next on any of my fabric pieces. I got out needles and found some yarn and knit again.
Sally Mellville's knitting books are wonderful. I love this sweater coat.

It's knit in garter stitch, which I normally don't care for, but the yarn I have works in garter.

Lion Brand Amazing in Ruby. Yummy.

Craftsy.com is an awesome site. I purchased, on sale, Carol Ann Waugh's Stitch and Slash class in December. Today I watched my class for the first time. I can go back and watch it over and over too. I love that! Carol's style suits me, in that she doesn't see any mistake as insurmountable. I highly recommend the class to everyone. It is a technique that could lend itself to traditional and art quilters. It could be used in garments as well as home decor as she shows you. I have done something similar to this from the Quilting Arts magazine. (I should check to see if she wrote the article). I can't wait to layer up my fabrics and start stitching and slashing!

I have learned:

1. This, the first day of Daylight Savings, is my least favorite day of the year. Losing an hour of precious non-work time sucks.
2. This video is from the 90's. It was just reposted on a forum I belong to. Watch it for the quilts and the music. The chartreuse courthouse steps, with the Milk of Magnesia pink center quilt is awesome. I want to make it!
3. William & Mary. Netflix. Like. 
4. Once an Eagle. I picked it up for Michael. I started reading it this afternoon. 
5. I love bread. I am a carboholic. Challah bread is so good on so many levels. I love the layers, and the chew. I gave a loaf away so I wouldn't eat it. Now I want it! BJ's tomorrow. Need. 
6. Mela is the current name on the block for my granddaughter due in July. I like it. It is a Polish name. Dave Zaporowski is Polish. Mela Zaporowski. I still like Olivia. Her initials would be O.Z. That would be cool. 
7. Lindsey Stirling. Violinist. This is spectacular. Phantom of the Opera. Watch her other videos. Watch this now! 

Yellow Lab Collage to Print on Fabric

I took a class with Julie Brandon, of Red-Dog Enterprises a few months ago. It was my introduction to the world of large format printing onto fabric~! We spent the first hour paging through magazines, cutting images that appealed to us, then making collages on playing cards. I loved this part. (I loved it so much, I made more at home after the class!) I came away with 3 collages, one of which was this lab piece.Julie scanned it into PC and we played with the image and manipulated it in Photoshop. The white  in the background didn't translate well when he was printed on a yard of cotton fabric, so I decided to cut him off the background and piece my own background of improvisational pieced stars using Marcia Derse fabrics. I love how her fabrics markings work with the yellow lab!

I am going to take Julie up on her offer to let me use her longarm and quilt him. I plan to put him into the Genesee Valley Quilt Club show at R.I.T. end of May, beginning of June.

Yesterday my Fiberista group met to have some fun with embossing powders, pearlescent powders and embossing onto velvet with stamps. Terryn led us in a demonstration and then we just had at it! I really loved the black embossing powder on fabric. I can see this as a useful tool on a piece in the near future.

These little bee's are so cool. I embossed them on a vintage linen napkin.

These stamps are Tim Holtz. Love.

I have been obsessed with hexi's for months now. I love making them. I love sewing them together. I found this dress from a fashion show. Cool!

I have learned:

1. The RAFA opening at the Lower Gallery Mill in Honeoye was a success Thursday. I missed it as I was still sick and in bed by 7 PM. Dave, a co-worker, and his wife Tina, went. Tina sent me this pic of my piece hanging on the stone wall.
2. Five days after starting amoxicillin for bronchitis, I woke up with hives on my neck and chest. Apparently I am allergic to penicillin's now. 
3. On the Menu, my cow piece for Nature Behind Bars, won Curators Award. Thank you Val & Julie.